Concrete road-making machine



May 1o, 1938. K. WINKLER 2,116,816

CONCRETE RQAD MAKINGMACHINF, 4

Filed March 1l, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l May 10, 1938 K. WINKLEI'R CONCRETEROAD MAKING MACHINE Filed March 1l, 1956 5 vSheets--Shee'c 2 PatentedMay 10, 1938 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 1,1,

1936, Serial N0. 68,287

In Germany March 14, 1935 9 Claims.

'I'he U. S. Patent No. 1,898,158 describes a machine which serves formaking road pavings from stamped concrete. The main characteristicfeature of this machine consists therein, that in order to obtain auniform compression also in the innermost parts of concrete bodies,kneading tools or kneaders are used which have a small cross-sectionalarea and which are moved in such a manner, that they will penetratedeeply into the concrete, even if this is heaped up in the condition ofmoist earth.

The present invention relates to improvements in the said machine and insuch kneaders. It should however be noted, that the kneaders accordingto the present invention, occasions arising, also can be operatedmanually, when the layer of concrete is heaped up and distributed in asuitable manner before it is treated with the kneaders and the treatmentwith thekneaders is followed by a further treatment with tools of anyknown kind, in order to compress and smooth the upper surface of theconcrete body.

In the` preferred form of the invention the kneaders are arranged in aroad building machine comprising, besides the kneaders, means forspreading or distributing the heaped up concrete and other ,means forthe final compression and forming of the surface, the latter meansworking behind the kneaders. v

The constructionv of the road building machine and especially of thoseparts thereof which serve as carriers for the kneaders do also form partof the present invention. n

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a machine acccrding to theinvention, with parts omitted.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same machine, with one part omitted.

Fig. 3 is a front View on a reduced scale.

Fig. 4 shows details from Fig. l on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 shows another modification of the in vention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective showing a vibration device of modiedconstruction.

Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive show. details of the kneader system. i

Fig. '7 is an elevation, partially in section, showing the drivingarrangement for the kneaders.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same arrangement, with parts broken away.

Fig. 9 is a lateral sectional View, showing the kneaders with theirguides.

(ci. :i4-49) Figs. 10a. to 10x show various crosssectional forms ofkneaders according to the invention.

As shown in Fig. 10, the kneaders according to the invention areprovided with relatively short cutting edges. The thickness may forinstance amount to about liinch or less and the width mayfor instanceamount to 4 to 8 inches. It has been found, that it, in order to renderthe Working of the kneaders easy, is not only of importanceto use toolswith small kneading faces, but that there are certain cross-sectionalforms, which on penetrating into the mass offer a remarkably lowresistance, but nevertheless develop a high compression power. Moreover,it has been found advantageous to give the kneading tools such a form,that they on entering the concrete mass, will not only compress thematerial in a vertical direction, but also will effectively dislocateand compress the material in lateral directions. i 'Ihese effects may beobtained in a particularly satisfactory manner by using kneaders theWorking faces of which have the form of cutting edges.

On comparing different kinds of cutting edges it has also been foundthat, instead of equipping each kneader with a single straight edge, itis advantageous to give the edge such a shape, that the parts of theedge form angles with each other. In Fig. 10 numerous cross-sectionalforms of such kneader edges are shown at a to y', inclusive, m, 1i., p,q,`r and t to :I: inclusive. l

Testing of these cross-sections has also shown, that the best effectsare obtained with kneaders, the kneading surfaces of which contain onlyfew straight parts, such as for instance shown at d, q, and 1* in Fig.10. A simple right-angular form has given the best results. The effectof the tool may be declared as follows: Each part of the edge surfacecauses a lateral displacement perpendicularly to the plane of the edgesurface. It will then be clear, that an edge surface consisting of twoparts arranged perpendicularly to 'each other will give the bestresults, because, through the cooperation of both edge parts,dislocations in all directions will take place, so that hollow spaces inthe mass are lled in every case.

In a direction perpendicular to the layer of concrete the length of thekneaders must of course be substantially like the thickness of thelayer, because the kneaders must penetrate deeply into the mass, inorder that also hollow spaces in the lowermost partsof the layer arefilled out by the lateral displacements caused by the kneaders.

From the above given description of the manner in which the novel deviceacts, it will be clear,

that it is not absolutely necessary to operate the kneaders by means ofa machine, but that a similar eifect can be achieved by operating thekneaders by hand. In practice however, manual operation will seldom beused, because a vast number of workers would be required for building apaved road. The kneaders are therefore preferably arranged in a streetbuilding machine of the kind shown in Figs. 1 9.

The preferred form of the novel machine comprises a frame I with wheels2 adapted to travel on rails 3 laid down on both sides of the road to bebuilt. At both ends of the machine guides 4, 5 are provided in whichslides 6, 1 are arranged in such a manner, that they can be displaced invertical direction. 'Ihe slides 6, 1 are adjusted in the height by meansof threaded spindles 8, 9 adapted to coopera-te with nut members I8, II.Preferably each slide is adjustable over a length amounting to about 16inches. The slide 1 carries an auxiliary frame I2 to which preferably ascraper I3 is fixed. To the frame I2 suitably also a distribution rakeI4 is attached and in connection herewith a device is pirovided by meansof which the rake can be lifted to a height in which it is held out ofcontact with the concrete. For this purpose the auxiliary frame I2 maybe made adjustable in the height relative to the slide 1. If desired,however, both parts may also be connected to a driving device adapted,in a manner known per se, to produce a lateral reciprocating motion.

Substantially in its centre the frame I carries a motor I5, which in thepresent example consists of a Diesel engine. Over a main coupling I6 anda reversing gear I1 the motor drives a gearing I8, which comprises clawcouplings, speedchanging gears and similar parts, and which may be ofany suitable known construction. Among other parts the gearing I8 alsocomprises a toothed wheel I9 meshing with a toothed wheel 29 on a shaft2I, with which one pair of the wheels 2 are connected, so that themachine by means of the motor can be driven forward and rearward atadjustable speed. The gearing I8 also also cooperates with two shafts22, 23, which can be coupled separately to the gearing. By means ofpairs of bevel gears 24, 25 the shafts 22, 23 drive transverse shafts26, 21, Which again by means of similar pairs of bevel gears or Wormgearings (not illustrated) drive the spindles 8 and 9, so that bothspindles 8 or both spindles 9 are always rotated simultaneously. Each ofthe slides 6, 1 carry a shaft 28, 29 and each of these shafts carries abevel wheel 30, 3I. Perpendicular to the shafts 28, 29, shafts 36, 31are arranged, which carry bevel gears 33, 34. By means of anintermediate body 35 the shafts 36, 31 are so mounted that they can berotated about the shafts 28, 29. The shafts 36, 31 are connected withother shafts 38, 39 in such a manner, that they may rotate with thesame, but may be displaced in their longitudinal direction relatively tothe latter. Other bevel gears 40 connect the shafts 38, 39 with thegearing I8.

Besides the shaft 28 also a second shaft 4I has its bearing in the slide6, and this shaft carries a toothed wheel 42. This toothed wheel and theshaft 4I are rotated from the bevel gear 38 by the intermediary of 4gearwheels 43, 44. The shaft 4I carries arms 45 which rotate with the shaftand at the ends of which rollers 46 are arranged. By means of theserollers pounders 41 are lifted and dropped, which pounders move inguides 48 in the slide 6. For thispurpose straps 49 are by means offittings 50 connected to the pounders 41, in spaced relation to thesame. At 5I the arms 45 are bifurcated, and the straps 49 project intothis bifurcation. In order to augment the energy of the blows, drawsprings 52 are provided, the one end of which is xed to the pounder 41at 53 and the other end of which acts against the slide 6 at 54. Thesprings 52 thus augment the effect of the gravity. At their lower endsthe pounders 41 carry the kneading tools or kneaders 55, which form themost important part of this invention. The kneaders have substantiallythe form of a cutting edge, preferably a broken or angular one. Figs.10a. to 10x show a plurality of kneading tools. To the upper end of thekneader 55 a vertical bolt 56 is fixed, which is rotatably arranged in asleeve 51 at the lower end of the pounder 41. An adjusting ring 58 orthe like prevents the bolt from dropping out of the sleeve. Thisarrangement allows the kneaders to rotate during the operation, so thatthe edge may slide over larger hard lumps in the concrete mass withoutbeing damaged and without the operation being disturbed. In the otherslide 1 a rammer device of a special kind is arranged, details of whichare shown in the Figs. '1 to 9. The shaft 29 carries cam discs 59, 6I),6I, which cooperate with rollers 62 carried by levers 63, 64, 65, whichfor instance may be rockably mounted in a common carrier 66.

In the slide 1 also several rammers are guided, for instance the threerammers 61, 68, 69 shown. These rammers are pressed downward by springs10, which for instance may be arranged on guide rods 1 I. The guide rods1I are guided by a member 12, which is formed integral with the slide 1and which serves as seat for the upper end of the springs 10. At theirupper end the rods 1I carry rollers 13, adapted to be taken up bysuitable seats 14 in the levers 63, 64, 65. It will thus be understood,that when the shaft 29 is rotated, the rammers 61, 68, 69 arealternately lifted and thereupon drop downward under the unitedinfluence of the gravity and the springs 10. The rammers proper have theform of bars, the rammer 61 having a thickness of about 1.2", the rammer68 of about 0.8 and the rammer 69 of about 0.4. It is of course alsopossible to use a greater number of cooperating rammers or also only twoof the same. In order to reduce the friction of the rammers, rollers 15are provided in the slide 1 and an additional guide roller 16 isarranged in the central rammer 68, so that the rammers guide each othermutually. The introduction of concrete particles into the rollers 15, 16is prevented by means of tightening brushes 11 or the like. Besides thedescribed devices the machine may also be equipped with vibrating beams,such as indicated at 18, 19, 80. These beams are suitably suspended fromthe machine by means of springs 85, but the same may also be trailedafter the machine. The vibrations are in the example shown in Fig. 1generated by means of electrical devices, in that some of the beams areequipped with an electrical hammer 8|, whilst the last beam 80 isvibrated by means of a motor 82, the shaft of which carries excentricmasses.

Such a vibrating beam, with a motor for creating the vibrations, isshown on a larger scale in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 shows a modification, in whichthe vibrations are generated by means of pneumatic hammers 83. Ifdesired all vibrating beams may be equipped with electrical hammers,electrical motors or pneumatic hammers for the generation ofthevibrations. Combinations of these means may also be used. It isparticularly advantageous, to arrange the vibration producers in such amanner, that the beams which during the working lie to the rear willperform vibrations of a higher amplitude, because the concrete below thelast named beams is already more dense.

Fig. 6 shows a vibrating beam of another construction, which `is movedin its longitudinal direction. This for instance involves the advantage,that there are lesser possibilities for stones to be `pinched in themechanisms and disturbing theoperation. Fig. 6 shows three beams 84 ofthis kind with pneumatic vibration generators 83. If the width of theroad requires it, also a greater number of beams may be used. Thevibrating beams may for instance consist of wood, and thelowermost'surface of' it may be coated with a sheet of metal.

The tools used together with the kneaders 255 may be replaced by othersimilarly acting tools and may at part even be left out without beingreplaced by other tools. It is also not necessary to perform all stagesof treatment by means of one machine. If it is found convenient, thework may also be divided on a plurality of machines, of which eachperforms only part of the work. i

As it will be understood, the machine shown in. the drawings ispreferably so arranged, that each group of tools may be actuated or putout of operation separately. The machine is suitably operated in thefollowing manner:

After the concrete has been heaped up the machine is adjusted in such amanner, that only the rake-scraper and the kneaders become operative.The direction of travel is hereby so chosen, that the scraper is actingin front of the kneaders, i. e. in the drawing to the right. During thenext working process the machine moves rearward, wherein the kneadersand the rammers are allowed to work, whilst the rake is lifted out ofcontact with the concrete. If the vibrating beams i8, 79, 80, or B4 arepresent the same are also put into operation. In case of a beam 84, asshown in Fig. 6, is used, means are provided for lifting also the rearpart of it to the extent required. This manner of working will give athorough compression, particularly when the transmission ratio for therammers is so chosen, that each rammer will perform about 400 blows perminute. In this case a stroke length of 5 cm. will be suiicient. Due tothe compact arrangement, the blows from the rammers will namely actcojointedly in such a manner, that the inner friction in the concrete ishighly reduced, whereby the compression effect is increased. As for therest, the last rammer is narrower than the preceding and this latter isagain narrower than the first one, so that the intensity increases withthe increasing compression. Between the described two sta es of work ofthe machine, if desired, a suitable number of working steps may beintroduced, during which only the kneaders are operated. The describedprocess may also be followed by one or more working stages, during whichonly the narrow rammers are used. Finally, in order to obtain a roadsurface as smooth possible, the machine may again once be moved in theopposite direction, i. e. to the right, only the rammers being operated.Since in this case the widest rammer is the last which acts upon theconcrete mass the road surface is thoroughly smoothed.

The details of the machine may of course be modiiied in various ways,without surpassing the scope of the invention. The number of rammersused may be increased if desired. The rammers may also be guided inother` manners than that shown, provided the guide devices are soarranged, that the rammers work sufficiently soon behind each other.Instead of the Diesel motor another combustion or steam engine or anelectromotor may be used. The electricity or compressed air needed forthe operation of the vibration devices may be generated by means of anapparatus coupled `to the combustion engine of the machine.

I claimzi l. A tool forthe compression of concrete for road makingmachines, comprising a vertically reciprocable carrier body and akneading member attached to said carrier body, said kneading memberhaving a narrow elongated bottom part in the form of a blade having abent cross-section, so that on the kneading member being lowered it willpenetrate deeply into the concrete and diierent portions of the workingsurfaces will force the concrete aside indifferent directions.

2. A tool for thev compression of concrete for road making machines,comprising a vertically reciprocable carrier body and a kneading memberattached to said carrier body, said kneading member having a narrowelongated bottom part in the form of a blade having an angularcrosssection, so that on the kneading member being lowered it willpenetrate deeply into the concrete and different portions of the'working surfaces will force the concrete aside in different directions.

3. A tool for the compression of concrete for road making machines,comprising a vertically reciprocable carrier body and a kneading memberattached to said carrier body, said kneading member having a narrowelongated bottom part in the form of a blade comprising two straightportions extending at right angles to one another so that on thekneading member being lowered it will penetrate deeply into the concreteand different portions of the working surfaces will force the concreteaside in different directions.

4. In a machine for the compression of concrete for road making, thecombination of a vertically reciprocable carrier body, a kneading memberattached to said carrier body, said kneading member having a narrowelongated bottom part in the form of a blade having a bent crosssection,so that on the kneading member being lowered it will penetrate deeplyinto the co-ncrete and different portions of the working surfaces willforce the concrete aside in different directions, with means operativelyconnected to said carrier body for raising the carrier body and springsarranged to oppose the rise of the carrier body and assist the force ofgravity in lowering the carrier body.

5. In a machine for the compression of concrete for road making, incombination, a frame, running wheels, shafts for said running wheels,bearings on the frame for said shafts and a plurality of po'unders, ofwhich at least some are provided with kneading members having a narrowelongated bottom part in the form of a blade having a bentcross-section, so that on the kneading member being lowered it willpenetrate deeply into the concrete and different portions of the workingsurfaces will force the concrete aside in different directions.

6. In a machine for the compression of concrete for road making, incombination, a main frame having an auxiliary frame adjustable in thevertical direction relatively thereto, running wheels, shafts for saidrunning wheels, bearings on the frame for said shafts, a plurality ofpounders, guides for said pounders arranged in said auxiliary frame anda shaft with operating means for the pounders arranged on the Verticallyadjustable frame body, some at least of said pounders provided withkneading members having a narrow elongated bottom part in the form of ablade having a bent cross-section, so that on the kneading member beinglowered it will penetrate deeply into the concrete and differentportions of the working surfaces Will force the concrete aside indifferent directions.

'7. In a machine for the compression of concrete for road making, incombination, a main frame having an ,auxiliary frame adjustable in thevertical direction relatively thereto, running wheels, shafts for saidrunning wheels, bearings `on the frame for said shafts, a plurality ofpounders, .guides for said pounders arranged in said auxiliary frame, ashaft having operating means for the pounders, bearing in said auxiliaryframe for said shaft, a motor, driving gearing operatively connected tothe motor and resilient coupling means between the motor and the shaftin the vertically adjustable auxiliary frame, some at least of saidpounders provided with kneading members having a narrow elongated bottompart in the form of a blade having a bent crosssection, so that on thekneading member being lowered it will penetrate deeply into the concreteand different portions of the Working surfaces will force the concreteaside in diiferent directions.

8. A tool for the compression of concrete for road making machines asclaimed in claim 1, in which the kneading member is rotatable on thecarrier body about a Vertical axis so as to enable it to clear itselffrom stones or large pieces of aggregate which it may encounter on beinglowered in the concrete.

9. A tool for the compression of concrete for road making machines,comprising a vertically reciprocatable carrier body having a Verticalbore therein and a kneading member provided at its upper end with a boltrotatable in said vertical bore, said kneading member having a narrowelongated bottom part in the form of a blade having a bent crosssection, so that on the kneading member being lowered it will penetratedeeply into the concrete and different portions of the working surfaceswill force the concrete aside in different directions and onencountering any stones or large pieces of aggregate it will clearitself therefrom.

KASPAR WINKLER.

